Ash Wednesday (1973)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Larry Peerce

Writer:

Jean-Claude Tramont (writer)

Release Date:

1 November 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Barbara Sawyer and her beauticians.

Plot:

Barbara gets secret plastic surgery in Switzerland in an attempt to save her marriage to Mark, but he doesn't seem interested in meeting her...

Plot Keywords:

Surgery | Plastic Surgery | Facelift | Clinic

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor	...	Barbara Sawyer
Henry Fonda	...	Mark Sawyer
Helmut Berger	...	Erich
Keith Baxter	...	David
Maurice Teynac	...	Doctor Lambert
Margaret Blye	...	Kate
Monique van Vooren	...	German Woman
Henning Schlüter	...	Bridge Player
Dino Mele	...	Mario
Kathy Van Lypps	...	Mandy
Dina Sassoli	...	Nurse Ilse
Carlo Puri	...	Paolo
Andrea Esterhazy	...	Comte d'Arnoud
Jill Pratt	...	Simone
Irina Wassilchikoff	...	Silvano del Campo

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Sagittarius Productions

Trivia:

Contains footage from actual facelift operations, which repulsed many viewers when it was originally released.

Soundtrack:

The Nearness of You

Elizabeth Taylor plays...

Elizabeth Taylor plays Barbara Sawyer, wife to Henry Fonda (who shows up late in the film) for 30 years who has not aged well (to say the least). She goes to Europe and receives plastic surgery in an attempt to save her marriage. Will her restored youth appeal to her husband or will she have to start life over and be strong enough to do so? This is the premise of Ash Wednesday, a syrupy soap opera in the ugly duckling to beautiful swan tradition. Maybe you're a fan of Liz Taylor and sought this movie out, or maybe you just managed to catch it on late night cable and there was nothing else on. Either way you probably realized that this movie wasn't exactly high caliber. But in humble defense I will praise an excellent musical score, beautiful on location scenery, and elegant Edith Head designed fashions. The premise of the movie is a good one and it could have made for a very interesting film had the screenwriter or director had any amount of talent. But the dialogue and direction are both flat. Certain scenes seem pointless and unfulfilled. However, the main point of the movie is to show loving close ups and profiles of 41 year old Taylor looking beautiful again. And, yes, with a lot more make-up and just the right camera angle, we the audience, are transplanted back to those fabulous 50's movies when Taylor didn't have to act or even speak to transfix your gaze upon her and hold it rapt. Rating for Ash Wednesday for any viewer. **(out of 4) For Liz Taylor fans. ***